Apparatus for and process of constructing and launching concrete ships



W. H. MASON. APPARATUS Foa AND PRocEss oF eoNsmucnNG AND LAuNcHlNG CONCRETE sHlPs.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNE26 I9I8. 1,383,653. Patented July 5,1921

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WLLIIM H. MASON, OF HAVEREORB, PENNSYLVANIA.

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Application led June 26, 1918.

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, Ti/VILLIAM H. Mason, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Haverford, county of Montgomery, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Apparatus for and Processes of Constructing and Launching Concrete Ships, of which the following is a specification.

The object ofthe invention is to provide an apparatus -and process for simply, rapidly and inexpensively constructing andlaunching concrete ships. l/Vhen concrete ships are constructed on ship ways, outside molds must be provided for thehull and the same removed before the ship is launched by sliding down the ways, and such outside molds, if used over, must be reset in place before the construction of another ship can be begun, all of which involves great trouble and expense, as well as much loss of time as compared with the present invention.

According to the present invention a substantially permanent mold of reinforced concrete or other material is made and launched in any desired way, and concrete hulls are cast or molded therein and the form is sunk and the hull floated free from the form, whereupon the form is raised and used. over and over again i'or the construction of as many hulls therein as may be desired. ln this way practically all the time and expense now required for setting up and removing outside molds is eliminated, the work of launching is simplified and shortened, and danger of injury during launching is obviated, and the form, after each ship is launched, may be made use of for the construction of additional huls therein.

n the accompanying drawing forming part of this specilication, Figure 1 is plan view of a mold in accordance with my invention having a hull in place therein and with the interior form removed. F ig. 2 is a central, longitudinal, sectional view of the struc-V ture shown in Fig. 1, the inner being indicated in this figure in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale. of a form with a hull therein, the inner form having' been removed in this figure, and Fig. e is a detail, horizontal, sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing pipes for steam or hot water circulation and also showing preferred form of nozzle for admitting water Specification of Letters latent.

Patented July 5,1921.

semi no. 241,961.

`within the mold to float a hull formed therein.

Reference character 10 designates an outer form or mold made preferably of reinforced concrete, the inner surface-whereof is made of the form and shape to be given to the exterior of the hull. As one such form or mold is used substantially indefinitely for the production of a large number of hulls, and at very low-.cost per hull produced, there is not the occasion for keeping the cost down to such a low figure as would ordinarily be the case with forms for concrete, and it is possible to construct such Vouter mold or form with desirably ne lines whereby hulls of desirably good form may beproduced which maybe propelled through the water with a minimum expenditure of power.

particular shape or form for the outer surface of the mold 10. The mold 10 is provided with inclosed air spaces or' cells 11, and the same are' so arranged and connected that water may be admitted thereto or may be driven out as by means of compressed air or the like. Such air spaces or cells 11 are of sufficent volume to provide for the operations to be carried out as hereafter described, with preferably more or less excess of volume thereover as a factor of safety. They are preferably formed within the walls of the mold 10, but may be provided in other ways, if desired.

Removable means are preferably provided for bracing the longitudinal walls of the mold 10 together, and the same may coinprise girdeis 12 which may extend across the top of the mold 10 from side to side at intervals and may be removably secured thereto in any desired manner, as, for example, they may be apertured at their ends to receive bolts 13 anchored in the form 10 and held down by nuts 13. The girders 1 2 may also serve as means for forcing the sides of the mold apart or drawing them toward one another to some extent, and may include a screw jack 11i or the like, which may be arranged at one or both ends of the girders, if desired. rlhe girders 12 may also be used to suspend and aline the inner forms.

The mold 10 is of such form that upon a hull molded therein being raised with respect to the mold by suitable means, as by I No pary ticular care is necessary in obtaining any pumping water between the hull and mold, the hull will clear or free itself as it rises, as, for example, the side walls of the mold may taper outwardly toward the top, as shown in Fig. 3.

1Where hulls having conformation at either or both of their ends of such character that thehull cannot readily be completely freed for rising, as, for example, in the case of sterns of hulls of ships adapted to be propelled by screws or the like, a' reV movable mold member, as indicated, for example, at 15, Fig. 2, may be placed within the mold member 10, and after the concrete has set and hardened, suoli removable member 15, made preferably in sections for the purpose of being` readily removed and readily Yput back into place again, may be taken out, thus leaving such portion of the hull, as, for example, in the form shown, the stern of the hull, free to rise when water is admitted into the form 10. When such removable interior form members are provided, as, for example, at the stern of a ship, the opposite end, as, for example, the bow of the ship, and that portion of the mold 10 in which the same is formed, may be substantially vertical, as shown at 16, Fig. 2, but where no provision, such as the removable mold 15, is made, as may be the case in the construction of hulls of barges, sailing` vessels and the like, provision is preferably made for the hull clear ing itself at all points as it rises in the mold. rllhe form 1() is preferably constructed of reinforced concrete, as stated, but may be made of other materials, and at the outset one or more such molds are preferably con` structed in temporary forms on a ship way and launched by sliding down the way into the water in the ordinary manner.

lnner forms are provided and the same are adapted to be removably received in the form 10 and spaced therefrom as indicated at 1T, 2. rlhese inner forms are preferably in sections and may be adapted to be lifted in and out as by means of cranes or the like.

The hull is indicated at 18 and is formed of reinforced concrete between the outer mold and the inner mold. Means for reinforcing the concrete of any desired character may be utilized, as will be understood. The hull may be formed with interior strengthening means, such as ribs 18 or the like.

The hardening of the concrete ofthe hull may be accelerated by the provision of heat for that purpose, as, for example, steam or hot water pipes 19 may be arranged within the inner walls 20 of the mold 10. ylhe pipes 19 are illustrated as running up and down within the mold wall 20, but they may be arranged in various other ways, as will be understood, and are connected together in such a way as to permit circulation of l'luid, as steam, hot water or the like therethrough. Such heat supplying means may also be utilized for facilitating operations in cold weather, making it possible to carry out construction work substantially irrespective of weather conditions, and the same are also preferably utilized in freeing the hull from the mold.

Prior to casting the hull, the intermediate walls of the mold are preferably coated with material which is Substantially hard at ordinary temperatures, but which will be readily melted or softened at somewhat higher temperatures, as, for example, temperatures which may be attained by the application of hot water, steam or the like, in circulating pipes, such as the pipes 19. For example, the interior walls of the mold 1() may be coated with material such as heavy grease, pitch or the like, which will melt at say around 13()O F., though there may be considerable variation either way fromY this vligure, and a variety of coating materials suitable for the purpose other than those named may be utilized, and where the inner surface of the mold 10 is of such material or construction that such coating materials are are lnot required, the same may be dispensed with.

lllhen the 'hull has been completed and is.

erably lirst been melted by the application of heat by means of the pines 19. This may be accomplished by floating` the hull 18 by adi on of water between it and the form 10. Suiiicient entry of water between the hull 18 and the mold l() maybe obtained by pumping` water into an open space or' spaces, such as 21, between the hull 18 and the mold 10, but preferably, in order to accelerate operations and more especially where no open spaces, such as 2l, are provided, means may be provided. at a number of places in the inner walls of the mol d 10, for pumping in fluid such :is water, for floating the hull within the form. I(lne or more vater pipes 22, sis-shown in liig. et, may be provided, and the same are preferably formed with enlarged ends or nozzles 232, such enlarged outlet ends being` adapted to spread the water and to avoid local cutting effects of water admitted under pressure against the newly formed hull, and, if desired, additional means for preventing harmful action of the incoming water on the side of or beneath the hull may be provided, as, for example, the nozzles 23 may have an outer surface wire net 24; which may be covered by a laver of fabric, such as canvas or the like and indicated by the reference numeral 25. To assist in freeing` the hull from the mold, the sides of the mold may be spread apart to some extent by suitable means, as, for example, by means of the screw jacks 14 connected to cross girders l2. Forms made of reinforced concrete, for example, are sufficiently elastic to yield te pressure to an extent, which gives material assistance in freeing the completed hulls therefrom. W hen the hull is fioated within the form, the cross girders, 12 are preferably removed,

The hull having been freed from the mold l0 and floating therein, is ready for `aunching, and it is only necessary to tow the form 1,0 to the launchingground and to sinh same by letting` water into the air spaces l1 and at the same time admitting additional water into the interior ofthe form l0, and, if desire/d, water may also be admitted to the interior of the hull 18 to equalize, to some extent, the pressure on the outer walls thereof, but preferably not su'liicient to sinlr the hull. The hull, now floating free in the water above the sunken form, may be towed away and the form raised bv forcing out the water within the compartments ll bv means of compressed air or the like, and the form l0 may then be towed alongside of a dock equipped with a crane or other suitable device for placing the interior forms therein, the water in the form nuniped out, and a new hull constructed in the same manner as already described, which, upon being completed, is in turn launched as before, after which the form is again used for the production, in the same manner, of additional hulls.

lt will be seen that the process and apparatus of the present invention afford numerous important advantages, the same outer form being` used over and over again for the production of hulls of identical shape and having desirably line lines, the danger of injury to the hull, during` ordinary launching from ways, is eliminated, the hull being simply floated within the form and then the form sunk from beneath it, and the time re` quired for the construction of hulls in this manner is verv greatly reduced as compared with the ordinary mode of constructing upon and laui'iching from ways.

claim:

l. The process of constructingand launching a concrete hull which consists in casting a concrete hull in a permanent outer mold, launching the hull by floating it in the mold, and sinking the mold from beneath it.

2. The process of constructing and launching a concrete hull which consists in casting a concrete hull within a permanent exterior floating mold having outwardly tapering sides, freeing the hull from the mold by floating it therein, and launching the hull by sinking the mold from beneath it.

8. rlhe process of constructing and launching a concrete hull which consists in constructing a concrete hull within a substantially permanent exterior floating mold for the hull having air compartments in its walls,` freeing the hull from the mold by pumping water between the hull and the mold, launching the hull by admitting water to the air compartments within the mold, whereby the mold is sunk from beneath the hull, and raising the mold by pumping out water from the air compartments.V

1l. The process of constructing and launching concretehulls which consists in casting a concrete hull in a substantially permanent outer floatingmold .having air spaces in its walls, and also having partial mold therein which is adapted to be removed, removing such removable mold portion from within the outer mold, freeing the hull from said 6. In a mold for concrete vessels, means for admitting water between the mold and the vessel formed therein and comprising a pipe having an enlarged nozzle. A`

7. 1n a mold for concrete vessels, means for admitting water between the mold and the vessel formed therein and comprising :i pipe having an enlarged nozzle and having a foraminous covering for said nozzle.

8. In a mold for concrete vessels, means for admitting water between the mold and the vessel formed therein and comprising a pipe having an enlarged nozzle and having a layer of wire mesh material over the outer end of said nozzle, and a layer of fabric upon said wire mesh material.

9. A substantially permanent mold for casting hulls therein, said mold being adapted to float in water, and an interior removable mold portion within said mold, and adapted, when removed, to free an exterior portion of a hull cast within the mold.

l0. A substantially permanent floating mold for casting concrete hulls therein, the walls of said mold tapering outwardly, whereby a hull rising therein will clear itself therefrom, air spaces within said mold whereby the same may be raised or sunk, and means for admitting water between said mold and a hull in place therein.

1l. A substantially permanent mold for casting concrete hulls therein, the inner walls of said mold having the conformation of the outer surface of the hull desired to be produced, removable means for bracing the side walls of said mold adapted to extend across the mold at the upper part thereof, and

mezms associated with seid bracing means for spreacliiig the mold Weils apart.

12. A permanent mold for the exterior of concrete hulls, Seid meid being` constructed of reinforced concrete and provided with nir compartments and adapted to be oeted or stmk beneath the surface et Water at WSN.

13. mold of reinforced Concrete, the interior surface whereof is e replica O' e Ship huh and adapted to be used es e mold for casting e Concrete ship hull therein, and means whereby sei d mold hull may be Heated or sunk beneath the surface of Water et will.

14. The procese of constructing a concrete huh which consists in :forming it hull ot con-- crete iii e substantially permanent exterior meld, end forcing the eide Walls or 'the mold apart and admitting fluid between the mod and the huil, whereby the hull is freed from the mold. V

En testimony tiet 1 eleim the foregoing, 1 here hereto set my hand, this 2O day of June, 1918.

WILLIAM H. MASON.

1Witness: i

L. M. HUDNUT. 

